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Accelerator Based Fusion Reactor
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- A feasibility study of fusion reactors based on accelerators is carried out. We consider a novel scheme where a beam from the accelerator hits the target plasma on the resonance of the fusion reaction and establish characteristic criteria for a workable reactor. We consider the reactions $ d + t \rightarrow n + \alpha, d + {}^3H_e \rightarrow p + \alpha$, and $p + {}^{11}B \rightarrow 3 \alpha$ in this study. The critical temperature of the plasma is determined from overcoming the stopping power of the beam with the fusion energy gain. The needed plasma lifetime is determined from the width of the resonance, the beam velocity and the plasma density. We estimate the critical beam flux by balancing the energy of fusion production against the plasma thermo-energy and the loss due to stopping power for the case of an inert plasma. The product of critical flux and plasma lifetime is independent of plasma density and has a weak dependence on temperature. Even though the critical temperatures for these reactions are lower than those for the thermonuclear reactors, the critical flux is in the range of $10^{22} - 10^{24}/\rm{cm^2/s}$ for the plasma density $\rho_t = 10^{15}/{\rm cm^3}$ in the case of an inert plasma. Several approaches to control the growth of the two-stream instability are discussed. We have also considered several scenarios for practical implementation which will require further studies. Finally, we consider the case where the injected beam at the resonance energy maintains the plasma temperature and prolongs its lifetime to reach a steady state. The equations for power balance and particle number conservation are given for this case.<br />Comment: To be published in Nuclear Fusion as a letter, 7 pages, 2 figures
- Subjects :
- Accelerator Physics (physics.acc-ph)
Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Materials science
Thermonuclear fusion
Ion beam
Nuclear Theory
Nuclear engineering
FOS: Physical sciences
01 natural sciences
010305 fluids & plasmas
High Energy Physics - Experiment
Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex)
Physics::Plasma Physics
0103 physical sciences
Stopping power (particle radiation)
Nuclear fusion
Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex)
010306 general physics
Nuclear Experiment
Range (particle radiation)
Plasma
Fusion power
Condensed Matter Physics
Physics - Plasma Physics
Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph)
Physics::Space Physics
Physics - Accelerator Physics
Beam (structure)
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....fdc28b537adb53fbf82289f43b6b2532